The Voice of Kashmir's Women: Celebrating the Poetic Genius of Female Poets

 

Kashmiri literature has a rich tradition of female poets who have contributed significantly to the literary heritage of the region. 

Here's an overview of some of the most renowned female poets of Kashmir.

 

Habba Khatoon: The nightingale of Kashmir, also known as Zoon or Zooni, was a 16th-century Kashmiri poetess and queen who is considered one of the greatest female poets in the history of Kashmiri literature. She is known for her romantic and melancholic poems, which are still popular among the people of Kashmir.

 

In henna I have dyed my hands,

When will he come ?

I die, while he roams distant lands,

My heart is numb!

O, where is now the day's delight?

I've waited long.

The golden wine cups of the night

To him belong!

Source: Madras Courier

 

 Arnimal: Arnimal was a 17th-century Kashmiri poetess who is known for her powerful and evocative poetry. Her poems often addressed themes of love, longing, and separation, and are considered among the most beautiful in Kashmiri literature.

“O, my love, You were the friend of my youth 
Initially, I knew not how to value it 
Wasted it away, Now I am pining and withering 
Show me your countenance, I am dying for a mere glimpse 
O, friend of my youth.“ 

Source: Kashmir Women’s Collective

 

 Lal Ded: Lal Ded, also known as Lalla Arifa or Lalla Yogeshwari, was a 14th-century Kashmiri poetess and mystic who is considered one of the most important female figures in Kashmiri literature. Her poems are known for their spiritual depth and mystical insights, and continue to inspire readers today.

We existed ever before and’ll exist for ever;
We permeate all, did so earlier and’ll
Continue prevailing all, for ever;
The immortal soul shuttles between life and death,
The sun ceases not rising and setting.
nor is it destroyed:
Siva ceases not coming and going: 

 

Source: iKashmir

  

Rupa Bhawani: Rupa Bhawani was a 17th-century Kashmiri poetess and mystic who is known for her devotional poetry. Her poems often addressed themes of love, devotion, and spirituality, and are still popular among the people of Kashmir.

I did not come on this earth as a seed,
To fall in the circle of births,
I am not the elements
Earth, water, fire, air and ether
I am beyond the primordial universal self and the individual self,
I am the Supreme Consciousness. 

Source: iKashmir

 

 These are just a few of the many talented female poets who have contributed to the rich literary tradition of Kashmir. Their poems continue to inspire and captivate readers today, and serve as a testament to the enduring power of poetry to express the deepest human emotions and experiences. These women poets of Kashmir have left an indelible mark on its literature and continue to inspire new generations of poets and writers.